I have the opportunity to pitch a conspiracy themed show to a major network. What do you want to see?
41 2012-09-03 by [deleted]
Long time lurker, first time poster. Pardon my throwaway.
I have the opportunity to present a conspiracy themed show to a major network. I have done the initial pitch and now they have come back with strong interest - but they are curious to know how to frame this show - and what topics will be covered.
What I need to create is a show with a point of difference. Perhaps pick up where Jesse Ventura left off or explore elements he failed to analyse. The backbone of the show will be fact based - we don't want to venture into wild Ancient Aliens territory.
So I guess the question I am asking is - in the best case scenario, what type of conspiracy themed show would you like to see? How would you like to see ideas presented. What topics have not been dealt with adequately?
What type of content would impress you?
85 comments
56 yahoo_bot 2012-09-03
I'd say something that is now actually admitted and/or declassified.
You could cover for example the death of Martin Luther King, a court ruled that the US government killed him.
You could cover operation Ajax or Gladio, I think its very important to explore previous "conspiracies" that are now proven and declassified.
From there you can move on to something that is still unproven.
3 istalkezreddit 2012-09-03
Unit 731 and how governments around the globe have been doing and are doing similar research, how strange the us never prosecute them because it's beneficial information...
1 Valimar77 2012-09-03
Operation Northwoods false-flag proposals that originated in 1962 within the United States government that describes 911
Operation Snow White Church of Scientology's name for a conspiracy during the 1970s
CIA secret operations and drug trafficking For nearly a decade the CIA, helped spread crack cocaine in Black ghettos.
-4 Free__Will 2012-09-03
This.
20 77_65_65_64 2012-09-03
...Is what the upvote button is for.
20 BCLaraby 2012-09-03
Agree about keeping it fact-based, no flashy graphics. Study Conspiracies that actually happened, how they managed to happen then present a current conspiracy and leave it open-ended, as if to say: huh... what a coincidence.
Let me know if you need a researcher.
2 douchebag_investor 2012-09-03
I would take this approach and create a show about the CIA overthrowing governments around the world by any means deemed necessary.
17 [deleted] 2012-09-03
TV news guy here.
Just some suggestions-
To frame the show start with man on the street interviews, asking what people know about individual subject and then give them more info as the interview progresses. Then you can intercut these throughout the show as the thesis develops cutting back to them as you reveal more information to see if you can change their minds. Play their reactions off against the material being presented.
Go back and forth between current / recent events and historical. The October Surprise with Carter and Reagan then back to the Bavarian Illuminati. Jim Marrs book RULE BY SECRECY does this very effectively. The timeline in his book starts at the present day and works backwards to the roots of ideas explored in previous chapters.
Cut out the Jesse Ventura hyperbole, fake strategy meetings and fake confrontations.
Show more resources and actual documents and video. Let these speak for themselves. In news we like natural sound / interview packages where the sources tell the story themselves with just a little linking track by the narrator / host.
Get a less controversial host, someone with enough skeptic credentials so your audience won't be just the lunatic fringe but not so X-FILES Scully that true believers won't tune in.
If you are going to use re-enactments dial the cheese factor back as far as your budget will let you. Light on the shakey cam unless someone is being chased. Perhaps you could switch from traditional documentary style to straight movie style re-enactment and back again letting the action tell the story.
When shooting interviews stick with one or two angles. Stay away from jazzing them up with effects or distracting cutaways.
Subjects -
FEMA
Kennedy
911
Election scandals and election rigging around the world
Oil, solar, power production
Wikileaks
Freemasons
HAARP
Nuclear power
Fluoride
UFO's
Surveillance and data mining
Fake Moon landing including Kubrick
If you're taking resumes let me know. I love the subject matter, I can produce, write, shoot and edit.
2 dopp3lganger 2012-09-03
If the OP does choose UFOs as a subject, check out /r/UAP for a lot of great material on the subject without the aliens spin.
12 JohnSmithus12 2012-09-03
PLEASE NO SPOOKY MUSIC OF ANY SORT - nothing takes away from facts more than the stupid eerie tones they put in videos to get you to feel scared or whatever. I know this is probably not within your control, but if at all possible. In fact, you should just have Gonzales do the score.
11 WhiteCrake 2012-09-03
I would do it with the same tone as reality check with Ben Swann. I would avoid flashing images and creepy music.
9 Free__Will 2012-09-03
Electronic voting machine rigging.
8 [deleted] 2012-09-03
3 GoatseMcShitbungle 2012-09-03
just gonna leave a link to /r/Rothschild here, hope you don't mind
2 archonemis 2012-09-03
Upvote for Agenda 21.
1 BCLaraby 2012-09-03
What's the big deal with Agenda 21?
3 archonemis 2012-09-03
This is the best intro I've seen yet.
http://youtu.be/9GykzQWlXJs
In essence it's a Trojan Horse.
7 Sarcasticus 2012-09-03
Go over known government scandals and conspiracies (i.e., Iran-Contra) and then examine what has happened to the players in those scandals in modern day. (i.e. Lee Hamilton's connections with Iran Contra commission and 9/11 commission.)
1 quietlyaccountedfor 2012-09-03
Exactly; hit on large-scale scandals that people remember vauguely and use the evidence that has since surfaced to fill in the blanks
3 [deleted] 2012-09-03
I know loose change did it and others tend to drag it out. But I feel as an American citizen we have the right to know the real truth of 9/11. (I mean we all do) but I believe it's time to set everything straight. Along with the JFK assassination and MLK
2 tilfordkage 2012-09-03
I agree that we deserve to know, but you have to understand that the average viewer has seen that stuff a thousand times already. If OP wants his show to remain on the air for any period of time he will need to cover things that are new and that the audience isn't tired of hearing about.
3 tamrix 2012-09-03
I would research into Julian assange and wiki leaks. Bit of hot media topic right now could kick off some ratings and not many people have spoken about the leaked documents in mainstream media. The leaks could also lead you onto the other topics in the season.
2 born_redditor 2012-09-03
I like this idea too. So many people think Assange is a saviour. This is a very blinkered attitude toward him. I would like to see more analysis about this whole Wikileaks phenomenon.
3 workworkwort 2012-09-03
News. No games, just report things and perhaps have a discussion about them like that Bill Maher show.
3 HenryFischerV 2012-09-03
MKULTRA and Psychic warfare
2 stepcorn 2012-09-03
Yes ! Operation StarGate and Operation Middle of the Road...
3 Armchair_Marxist 2012-09-03
A comedy. The characters on the program are ignorant of the nefarious machinations occurring around them, though it is plainly obvious to the viewer.
REX 84
Nothing. Television is a dead medium for true information dissemination. You simply can't pack enough in to 24 minutes of airtime.
3 flintite 2012-09-03
explain the fed, the bush family and the franklin cover up. operation mocking bird, pearl harbor, gulf of tonkin. the mossad, building 7, larry silverstien and the six media conglomerates.
3 [deleted] 2012-09-03
I hate that nothing is ever settled or decided on these shows. They build, build, build...and then there is no pay off.
It would be great if there were Levels of Confirmation.
Like "conspiracy probable", "conspiracy confirmed", etc.
Another idea would be to do like they did on that British show (was it QI?), where you ask 100 people if they believe in XYZ conspiracy, then present all the evidence and ask them if they believe now. The show I'm thinking of did it with normal debate topics.
Finally, I have several awesome show ideas. Not conspiracy shows, I mean totally different show ideas all together. We should connect.
-1 k5k9 2012-09-03
This.
3 KonDon 2012-09-03
As others mentioned talk about confirmed conspiracies. Bring up things like operation northwoods, and other declassified files. Make it much more serious than the Jesse Ventura show, try not to make the music sound too dramatic, and for god's sakes make your guests seem reasonable and intelligent. At the end of the show, you should give a number to how plausable the official theory sounds after all the evidence is released.
3 captdimitri 2012-09-03
Have a strong internet presence. Be sure to make your show an interactive experience for the community that follows it. This gives you a very tangible outlet for being held accountable. Mention insightful conversation held in the community by username if you use it in the show. There is no reason not to in this day and age. Release free episodes on the internet. Not doing this will lead your show to ruin, really. For the love of god, comrade, we're all here, don't do this alone!
Also, what everyone else said. No out-of-place intense music, no flashy graphics, don't fucking pretend like you're doing research in some kind of situation room with secret agents. Do not give in to the temptation to place drama where it wouldn't normally be in an attempt to make the piece more appealing. DO encourage dramatic feelings, but where it comes naturally, lest you become a news show.
Also, talk about and analyze the effects of social conditioning that television has on a populace. Kinda mandatory, really. =P
Make it your goal to get assassinated with this. We'll totally Jesus you. <3
3 Bacore 2012-09-03
Congress looked into the JFK fiasco in 1976 and determined...
"The House Select Committee on Assassinations concluded that "scientific acoustical evidence establishes a high probability that two gunmen fired at President John F. Kennedy." It added that "on the basis of the evidence available to it, that President John F. Kennedy was probably assassinated as a result of a conspiracy. "
More people should know that.
http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/JFKassassinationsC.htm
3 americangoyblogger 2012-09-03
AIPAC.
Of course, if you want to be successful in your pitch, I would suggest a White conspiracy organization that wants to kill off blacks, and is thwarted by Mossad agents helping hapless CIA and FBI operatives.
2 Free__Will 2012-09-03
May I suggest using some of Naomi Klein's material from her book Shock Doctrine about how disasters and wars have been used to promote free market ideology over the last half century? A televised version of that book would be absolutely awesome.
3 vidrageon 2012-09-03
It's been made into a documentary... http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iW1SHPgUAQ
1 Free__Will 2012-09-03
Thanks for the link!
2 vidrageon 2012-09-03
If that didn't work (didn't for me), try this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDwdAv6HX_w
0 forgottenbutnotgone 2012-09-03
commenting to save link. thanks!
1 vidrageon 2012-09-03
Link that hasn't (ironically) been taken down:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDwdAv6HX_w
2 AlwaysOpenMinded 2012-09-03
Good luck.
2 highlady420 2012-09-03
I agree with several other posters. Stick to conspiracies that we know happened. MKUltra, USS Liberty, Bay of Pigs, Mena Arkansa, CIA's involvement with the 60's counterculture. I'm sure you have ideas. I think BCLaraby's suggestion of then linking it to something new that hasn't been proven to be a conspiracy is a good way to go. But overall, stick with the facts. The facts are way too often, in favor of conspiracies. Good luck.
1 [deleted] 2012-09-03
I second USS Liberty but damned are the Zionist terrorists gonna step on you!
2 HollowGlower 2012-09-03
Dang, I was hoping for a sit-com. Something like the big bang theory. Except the neighbor across the hall works for some government agency and is totaly oblivious.
I don't see anything wrong with a format like 'Coast to Coast AM', but I'm not sure how well user generated content would translate to TV.
2 bopoqod 2012-09-03
What I don't want to hear is, if there are any topics on UFOs, no-one of that stupid "Bweeeooooooo" music the black and white sci-fi movies had. That shit needs to die.
2 DoctorMiracles 2012-09-03
Problem is that presenting actual, historically proven events like Tuskegee and SouthAmerican health experiments, the FDR plot, Three-Letter-Agencies' involvement in S.American politics via terror/drug running/direct military intervention, Scientology crimes and others would ruffle quite a bit of feathers. Doubt a mainstream network would go for it.
2 coupdetat 2012-09-03
look at old cases but like you were investigating them at the time but with the new information
2 kevans2 2012-09-03
Events that were considered conspiracy theories that are now proven to be fact.
1 [deleted] 2012-09-03
have you read 'Inside the LC'? about the connections between the MIC, the Hippie scene, LSD, murder, drugs and satanism. IMO the website has enough material to keep you going for a few seasons.
1 archonemis 2012-09-03
All people use money.
I'd focus on banking only because everyone will be able to relate to a monetary themed show.
Keep it as simple as possible, though. The subject is complex.
1 entpowered 2012-09-03
Since is a major network, I would like to see when you sign the contract and sell your soul to become a major elite disinformation agent like all the mainstream conspiracy theorists.
1 tttt0tttt 2012-09-03
Bingo. If this show gets picked up, you won't have long to wait. And you know there are going to be conspiracies that this show will never even mention.
1 Trainasauruswrecks 2012-09-03
I'd really like for someone to haul their ass to the Northpole and prove or disprove the inner earth theory. Seems like every time someone tries their plans get foiled.
1 cancerbotX 2012-09-03
Land Ownership Is An Oxymoron
“Queen Elizabeth II the largest landowner on Earth.”
While all serious conspiracies are important, I believe this issue is number one on the list of things to fix.
1 jakenichols 2012-09-03
I would love to see a breakdown of Agenda 21 in its entirety. That is the most misunderstood conspiracy.
1 I_ROPE_HORSES 2012-09-03
A show that only reports facts and uses investigative journalism to undercover truths that the world is oblivious to.
1 cellularresp 2012-09-03
Thank you for making it fact based. If you can investigate the federal reserve banking cartel and how its design to make slaves of us all would go far in explaining the underpinnings of many other conspiracies.
1 sohail 2012-09-03
Bring back Rubicon!!!
1 CosmicClutter 2012-09-03
You should mention organizations like the Tri-Lateral Commission, Bilderberg, etc and maybe try to show the interconnectedness of these types of public and private groups to give people of the wider political and social implications of single event conspiracies such as Iran-Contra, 9/11 or MLK. And if the media doesn't let you discuss a topic, try to get the word out to viewers (or just us here at r/conspiracy) about which topics are not allowed to be discussed on a major network
1 [deleted] 2012-09-03
Foia releases
1 Sailer 2012-09-03
I want to see this worldwide control of the currency and money supply and interest rates exposed for what it is.
1 SeriouslyMental 2012-09-03
I would love to see a show that doesn't use the word conspiracy. Yet, it needs to cover every factual crime committed that has not been made known to the "general public". In a very Jesse Ventura approach. Dont know though, maybe that's a little difficult to do.
I would like to see mainstream coverage of Northwoods, and MKUltra, also Nikola Tesla, there must be a a large scale awareness of this man.
1 ScoobysDoo 2012-09-03
Based on your name, are you Paul McCartney?
1 Wranlon 2012-09-03
Is this straight news or docudrama style about past or present conspiracies? How about a show centering on a loose-knit team of international diplomats tasked with spinning difficult situations. They may not know the entire truth about an event, just a few facts, and they have to concoct fantasies to feed the private, public, and government in key demographics and regions. One of the main characters (as suggested elsewhere) is the uninitiated who is selected to work there. Then, a la Newsroom, conspiracy-oriented events could be presented with as much known info as possible, dramatized by presenting it as being covered up by the secret news club without necessarily arguing one way or the other about whether the conspiracy genuine.
1 jack_spankin 2012-09-03
I'd love to see a Then vs. Now
You have people cracking the Enigma Code then and talking about how it was done, and then get experts now talking about how code cracking is done and by whom.
You have the skunkworks then (SR-71, U2, Germans) and talk about what's going on now (Boeing moveable satellite, Aurora)
You have the first chemical weapons designed and drugs used to control troops and what is being done now.
I think it helps make the show far more legitimate. It gives some historical context and you get some legit stuff and then you can lead into the more fanciful and speculative.
1 tttt0tttt 2012-09-03
What do I want to see? I want to see the wealthy Zionist Jews exposed for what they do. I want their corruption and control of the political process exposed. I want their control of the Federal Reserve and the major banks exposed. I want their complete control and domination of the corporate media, including the news media, exposed. I want their vastly, obscenely disproportionate representaiton on the Supreme Court and as White House advisors and "czars" exposed. I want fucking AIPAC, an agency of a foreign government, exposed. I want the murders that are constantly being committed around the world by Mossad exposed. I want the evils and injustices the Israelis are doing to the Palestinians exposed. That would impress me.
But I know you won't do it, and I also know why you won't do it. Because these fuckers are the ones who are going to finance your little conspiracy show, right? So the one conspiracy you dare not show is the conspiracy of how your little show gets on the air ... by carefully avoiding the TRUTH.
1 msarge85 2012-09-03
I listen to a podcast called Skeptoid that looks at lots of "out there" stuff, and attempts to use facts to draw a conclusion on whether or not the subject has any validity. I would love to see a show do something similar with conspiracies.
It would go something like this:
Present conspiracy as it is widely known
Look at different parts of the conspiracy, attempting to judge their validity using facts. Correct any glaring inaccuracies, and point out things that are most certainly true.
Then come to one of many conclusions, such as:
It turns out this conspiracy is true
This conspiracy is most likely true
Not enough information known to make a good judgement
Probably false, but still not enough info
Definitely False
Anyway, I'd watch that.
1 PingTiao 2012-09-03
A topic I would love to see in detail is "The Fellowship."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Fellowship_(Christian_organization)
1 Toastbuoy 2012-09-03
Something completely overlooked by our society: the slow-but-sure shift away from local control of schools to federal control. One by one districts and entire states are cow-towing to federal "common core" standards. Not only is school nothing like it used to be (and it's boring as heck), but this "standardization" of the classroom is working against individual and creative thought. IMO.
1 Weenog 2012-09-03
what i personally would love to see is a conspiracy-themed animated show with a good voice over., it would be nice to see something cover a different conspiracy theory each episodes (like jesse ventura) but divide itself into two distinct separate parts so as to allow different opinions. one cold-blooded scientific rational skepticism. the other more of a open minded spiritual tin-foil hatter. all left/right brainy themes as not to discredit either. above all provide as much information as possible for both sides and let the viewer decide for himself, avoid being biased towards a certain opinion, cover both sides of the arguments. wile being as thorough and entertaining as possible.
animation is an intensely powerful medium for something like this check out "Reagan" by killer mike for a good example. youtube.com/watch?v=6lIqNjC1RKU
i'm working on a conspiracy related animated project if your interested.... or if you need an animator ;) youtube.com/watch?v=qXvNAS6nSiU
0 Nerd_Destroyer 2012-09-03
I think teaching people that Vietnam was started entirely for zero reason, literally a "mistake" would not only surprise people, but be pretty fun to watch too. You have the whole hippie movement to work with, also MK Ultra. Yeah, do a 60s themed show. That's been out of the collective unconscious for a while, the hivemind loves novelty.
2 BCLaraby 2012-09-03
Vietnam was started over a mistake?
2 Bacore 2012-09-03
Yes. Gulf of Tonkin.... "eager, inexperienced radar kids" accidentally thought they had been torpedoed.... but they were wrong. oops. sorry about that. The DoD was itching to fight the war, all they needed was this "accidental" sighting of torpedoes and the rest is history. War is profitable. The Spanish-American war was an accident too. As was Iraq and it's WMD.
1 Nerd_Destroyer 2012-09-03
http://consciouslifenews.com/declassified-gulf-of-tonkin-never-happened-ignited-vietnam-war/11878/
1 ScoobysDoo 2012-09-03
there was a reason/reasons, perhaps you are just not aware of what the reasons were.
0 [deleted] 2012-09-03
COINTELPRO
0 CorpusCallosum 2012-09-03
The occult
-1 ChrisMCLELLAN 2012-09-03
If you could delve into our "true" origins on this planet that would be cool. Get into Atlantis and the Anunaki and stuff like that. I know a lot of people think its ridiculous but there is evidence that Mars was once a thriving planet so you never know really.
-1 preventDefault 2012-09-03
So this is more of a news/documentary/educational type show?
I was kinda hoping for a drama or something.
-2 VerbalJungleGym 2012-09-03
Don't work with the idiot box empire /facepalm
3 burnone2 2012-09-03
No facepalm required. Don't you think Jesse Venturas show helped out the truth seeking cause just a little bit??
1 tttt0tttt 2012-09-03
Not much. If Jesse had talked about the real conspiracies, he wouldn't even have got on the air.
1 burnone2 2012-09-03
A little bit is similar to not much.
2 [deleted] 2012-09-03
[deleted]
3 imfuckinradical 2012-09-03
People also believe whatever they see on TV. May as well have them believe in some truth.
0 I_ROPE_HORSES 2012-09-03
You are under the impression that the television is a medium where people can freely express themselves, which is not reality. The only thing people see on tv is what the corporations who own tv want them to see. If your show was picked up by a channel, it would end up being a joke like everything else on tv.
2 vidrageon 2012-09-03
If that didn't work (didn't for me), try this one:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zDwdAv6HX_w